Committee on Student Technology Requirements - UTDPP1116

Policy Statement

The Committee on Student Technology Requirements is a Concurrent Committee of the Academic Senate of The University of Texas at Dallas. The Committee oversees the required technology standard and encourages the University’s program to ensure that all incoming students have access to support their learning and engagement across all disciplines and levels within the University.

Background

UT Dallas has established a required technology standard for all incoming undergraduate students starting with the inaugural Fall 2021 cohort. Beginning in the fall 2021 semester, all incoming first-time-in-college (FTIC) students at The University of Texas at Dallas are required to possess a portable computing device that meets the University’s student technology requirements as outlined in the “Student Technology Requirements”. Portable computing devices are encouraged for all students, including incoming transfer students and graduate students. The goal of this program is to ensure that all students have access to the technology required to be successful in their course of study. The University offers many resources to help students meet this requirement including financial aid and a technology loaner program. Students are not under any obligation to make a purchase from a university-affiliated retailer.

Committee Charge

The Committee will review and update annually the standard hardware and software specifications for a minimally-configured student portable computing device(s) to constitute the Student Technology Requirements. This review should be completed, in consultation with the Office of Undergraduate Education, the academic units, Office of Information Technology and Educational Technology Services; and should be completed no later than January 31 of each year to inform the incoming FTIC students for the next academic year.

The Committee will receive complaints about and requests for improvements in the student technology environments on campus and pass on recommendations for improvements to the University administration.

The Committee will review annually all student technology support procedures, and may originate or receive requests to modify these procedures. They may make recommendations for minor changes or revisions to the appropriate Administrative unit, and make recommendations for any significant changes to the University administration.

The Committee may develop and make recommendations to the Academic Faculty regarding any changes to the Student Technology Requirements policy.

The Committee will receive annual inputs from each individual School Committee on Effective Teaching on evolving technology needs for students in that School.

The Committee will obtain additional feedback and recommendations regarding student technology requirements from the following committees: the Committee on Educational Technology, the Committee on Distance Learning, the Committee on Effective Teaching, and the Campus Accessibility Committee.

Annually, but no later than August 31, the Chair of the Committee will provide the Speaker of the Faculty with a written report for the Academic Senate of the Committee’s activities for the prior academic year.

Membership

The Committee is composed of voting members that include one faculty member from each school appointed from the membership of the General Faculty (as defined in UTDPP1088). A designee from the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Assistant Provost for Educational Technology Services, or their designee, the Director of the Office of Student AccessAbility (OSA), or their designee; the Associate Library Director for Systems, or their designee; the Vice President, Chief Information Officer (under the terms of U.T. System system-wide policy UTS165), or their designee; and the Chief Information Security Officer shall be ex officio members, with vote.

The President of the University, or the President's designee, will appoint as voting members, a graduate student representative, nominated by the President of the Graduate Student Assembly, an undergraduate student representative, nominated by the President of the Student Government, and an undergraduate student representative having freshman standing, nominated by the President of the Student Government. The students are appointed to one-year renewable terms.

The Dean of Students, or their designee; the Senior Director of Financial Aid, or their designee; the Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary Services, or their designee, the University Registrar, or their designee, and the Associate Provost for Policy and Program Coordination, or their designee, serve as non-voting members, ex officio. The chairperson, or their designee, of these standing committees (Committee on Educational Technology, Committee on Distance Learning, Committee on Effective Teaching, and Campus Accessibility Committee) serve as non-voting members, ex officio. The Dean of Undergraduate Education serves as the Responsible University Official.

The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be appointed annually from among the Academic Faculty members. Unless specified otherwise in this charge, Committee members are appointed to two-year terms, and the Chair and Vice Chair are appointed annually. The terms for appointed faculty members shall be staggered so that no more than one-half of the terms expire in any one year. Members may be reappointed by the President for additional terms upon nomination of the Academic Council. If for any reason a Committee member resigns, the President, upon nomination of the Academic Council, shall appoint another individual to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.